Cam Newton will miss the Patriots’ game against the Chiefs, which was rescheduled to Monday after Newton tested positive for COVID-19. Charles Krupa/Associated Press
Game day is going to be a hectic time for the New England Patriots on Monday following an unsettling weekend.
After having their Sunday afternoon showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs postponed because of a positive COVID-19 test by quarterback Cam Newton, the Patriots and the defending Super Bowl champions will now play at 7:05 p.m. Monday.
Before flying to Missouri, Patriots players and staff members will undergo another round of COVID-19 testing Monday morning, meaning the team will not leave until hours before the game.
That is highly unusual in the NFL, but because of the pandemic, it is the situation the Patriots find themselves in at the one-quarter mark of the season.
They were supposed to leave at 1 p.m. Saturday, but the team learned late Friday night that Newton had tested positive.
The entire team, as scheduled, was tested again on Saturday morning and there were no added positive results. Players and staff members were tested again Sunday morning, and all results were negative.
That’s when the NFL announced the Patriots and Chiefs would play Monday, pending negative test results by both teams Monday morning.
NFL players are usually not tested on the day of a game, but because of circumstance with Newton and Chiefs practice squad quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, who also tested positive, more testing is necessary.
“Further testing of players and personnel on both teams returned no new positives from Saturday and Sunday testing,” the NFL said in a statement.
“The clubs also worked closely with the NFL and NFLPA and infectious disease experts to conduct contract tracing, and post-COVID exposure protocols are now in effect for both teams.”
The NFL has pushed the starting time of the regular Monday night game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Green Bay Packers to 8:50 p.m.
The Patriots will now be playing on Monday night three times this season. They will go against the New York Jets on Nov. 9 and the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 28.
If the upcoming schedule of games is unchanged, the Chiefs will play three times in 11 days. They’re scheduled to host the Las Vegas Raiders next Sunday, then travel to Buffalo on Thursday, Oct. 15.
Newton, signed by the Patriots in late June to replace Tom Brady, has completed 62 of 91 passes for 714 yards while rushing 35 times for 149 yards and four touchdowns during the team’s 2-1 start.
He will most likely be replaced by journeyman Brian Hoyer, who has made just 38 starts since entering the NFL in 2009. Hoyer is in his third stint with the Patriots.
Jarrett Stidham, who threw four passes as a rookie backup to Brady last season, has been inactive for the first three games.
Newton could also miss next Sunday afternoon’s home game against the Denver Broncos. If he has no symptoms, Newton will have to test negative twice in a 24-hour span, but if there are symptoms, he will be sidelined at least 10 days from the initial positive test.
During his weekly video conference with the media on Thursday, Newton was asked if he’s felt welcomed by fans in the region during his brief time with the Patriots.
“I’ve felt extremely welcomed, but as far as the in-person fans, I haven’t and for obvious reasons,” said Newton, referring to the pandemic. “But everywhere I go around town, it’s just been so much love.
“I know from watching the (Celtics) or watching hockey, something that I’m not used to, to even watching the (Red) Sox play, this is a very sports enriched town and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
Asked if he had the chance to get out to Boston or Providence, Newton responded, “Thanks to Dolla Bill (Coach Bill Belichick) and old Mickey D’s (offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels), I’ve had my plate full, so I haven’t been able to really get out much. But that’s on my bucket list, for sure.”
ESPN reported that the NFL is planning to have a conference call with representatives of teams on Monday to discuss “accountability, learning and requirements” related to COVID-19.
Eight members of the Patriots decided to opt out of the 2020 season because of the pandemic. The team had no issues with COVID-19 during the first three weeks of the season until Newton’s positive test.
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